Dump-car door-operating mechanism



l A. CAMPBELL 1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 lI l n I l |l|| l.

March 19, 1929.

Inf/@razor AFmLE CAMPBHL a l v Y@ Z W@ March 19, 1929. A. CAMPBELL DUMPGAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2. 1927 '7 sheets-sheet MarchA19, 1929. A. CAMPBELL DUMP CAR DOOR. OPERATING MCHANISM Filed Sept. 2,1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 ARGYLE CQMPELL March 19, 1929. A, CAMPBELL1,705,806

` DUMP CAR DooR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 2, 1927 '7 Sheets-Sheet4 AGYLE CAMPBELL March 19, 1929.

A. CAMPBELL l1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 2, 1927A Fruit-77107 ARGYLE CA MPELL 775662655 J March 19, 1929. A. CAMPBELLDUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM 7 Sheets-sheet e //Ue ARG YLE QMPaELLFiled Sept. v2, 1927 March 419, 1929. v v A. CAMPBELL n 1,705,806

DUMP CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM Filed SepLlZ, 1927 7 Sheets-Sheet 7ARG YLE CAM/w L.

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

UNITI-:D STATES A 1,705,806 PATENT OFFICE.

ARG-YLE CAMPBELL, OF. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAYEQUIPMENT COMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS., A CORPORATION AOFl ILLINOIS.

DUMP-CAR DOOR-OPERATING IVIECHANISM.

- yApplication'filed September 2, 1927. Serial No. 217,224.

My `invention relates tol improvements in dump car door operatingmechanisms and the like and especially` related :to vthat general typeof a car having bodily lmovable and rotatable shaft adapted to travelfrom a position beyond vthe free edge ofthe door to a supportingposition beneath the `free edge thereof. Y In cars ofthe identiliedtype, it has been customary yto provide a shaft mounted'for movement inelongated slots, saidshaft being connected tothe door by -a seriesiof:flexible connections adapted to wind around the shaft to raise lthedoor, the shaft thereafter moving beneathwthe door by a combined slidingand rotary movement, serrated vinem-` side of the door inwardly beyondthe rlimit of movement of the shaft whereby, as the` shaft comes intoengagement with -the door, a continued winding action of Itheflexibleelement on the shaft will cause the latter to travel inwardly beneath'the free edge-of` the door and thereby-exert a wedging action betweenthe door andthe lower face of the elongatedslot in 'which the shafttravels, to force thedoor to a fully closed yposition by `said wedgingaction.` It is also vcustomary to provide a Aseriesof suchdoors, gen-lerally four doors vto :a section lof shaft, and two flexible`connections per door, 'thereby making eight connections to a\shaft,.and it has been found by experience that-as such connections donot falways windin the saine ratio and alsovary inv length* thereispresented an unequal door lifting action as the shaft `moved beneaththe door, in ycertain instances the links `bindingandfouling between thedoor and the shaft.A i ,y

AItis an lobject of my invention 'topreinedy this` deficiency byincorporating with the flexible connection, a spacing element which willhave its point of attachment with the door, inwardly of the shaft andrits point of attachment .with the flexible sections of the connectionbeyond the shaft whereby the' Another object of my inventionvistoprovide an improved locking mechanism :for the shaft whereby reverserotationvof the shaft will be prevented `as the door is raised andoutward bodily movement of the kshaft in the slots guarded against.v y YMy invention also consists of certain other improvements as will .bemore particularly pointed out hereinafter and claimed.

In the drawings foiming a :part of Vvthis specification, Fig. l is aplan view of a por? tion of a car showing my Vimprovements in connectiontherewith, said view including one-half the width of the car and showingone of the vdropdoors with the cross beams associated therewith. Figure2 .is va transverse sectionalv View taken" on a line correspondingsubstantially to line 2-2 =of Figure 1, said view illustrating the doorAin closed position. Figure 3 a longitudinal elevational sectional viewof' that portion of the car-shown in Figure 1 and taken on line 8 -3of'Figure l, the lower chord ,of thev side frame being eliminated forthe purpose of more clearly showing` the parts. vFigure L is a' viewsimilar to Figure 2 except that the door isy illustrated in open insteadof closed yposi-tion.v Figure 5 Yis an enlarged detail view of portionof the car showing the outer end of the crossbearer vas viewed yon line5 5 of Figure 3, said view illustrat- Figure 7 is a vertical elevationalvlongitudinal view of a portion of the car nearvthe end y v`thereofandfillustra'ting the -door ylocking and rotatiiigni'echanism.' 'Figure8 isi-aver? tical end view of that portiony of car showing theconstruction illustrated in Figure 7 as viewed from right tof-left, theparts being i illustratedwith the door-in closedposition and themechanism locked beneath the door. I Figure 9 is a view similar toFigurev 8. ex-

ioo

cept that it shows the parts in unlocked pof f sition with theshaftmoved outwardly beyond the free edge of the door. And Figure l0 isa perspective view of the pawl retaining member.

rIn said drawings, l have shown my iiivention'as applied to a dropbottom carof a form well known in the art, cars of said type generallyhaving al plurality of doorsk on. eachside of the center sill, lthenumber CII of which may be varied as desired, said doors being generallyoperated from the end of the car in sets of several doors each. ln mydrawings I have considered it necessary to indicate only one of suchdoors on one side of the center sill and the description is confined tothe same, it being uilderstood that such description will also apply tothe various doors of a series.

The car,as shown ,is j'irovided wi th a centen sill :indicated at 10,crossbeams of the underframe 11, crossbeam top cover plates l2, sidestakes 13. car de bottom chord 14k and car side wall 15. rlhe floor ofthe car, or such portion of it as desired is formed by floor doorsgenerally indicated by the reference character A, the latter beingpivotally attached along their inner edges as indicated at 16 tosuitable hinge butts 17 which in turn are suitably secured to theccntersill 10. The crossbeam top cover plates 12 along each side edge ofthe door and the car side bottom chord 14 are each preferably er;-tended to overlap the said door A to provide an overhanging abutment forthe side and front edges of the door when in closed position. As will beunderstood there will generally be one door A between each pair of thecross members of the imderframe on each side of the center-sill. Eachdoor A is preferably reinforced with depending` flanges along its rear.side and free edges as respectively indicated at 18, 19 and 2O and alsoby transverse and longitudinal beams 21 and 22, the latter beingpreferably inthe form of a Z-bar brace spaced inwardly a short distancefrom the free edge of the door. The crossbeams 11 of the underframe are'apertured at their outer ends so as to accommodate the longitudinallyextending operating shaft 23. The latter extends through the aperturesof the crossmernbers and through similarly elongated openings providedin bearing castings v2li which are riveted or otherwise secured to `thecross-y beams.

In the arrangement shown,each elongated bearing slot is formed with asubstantially straight bearing portion 25 and a curved depressed portion26, the latter being disposed in the outer end of the slot and beyondthe free edge of the door. Intermediate the crossbeams, the shaft isprovided with a plurality of Winding sheaves 27 fixed rigidlyv on theshaft. Each said Winding sheave is formed With spiral guideway 28 andincludes at one end a serrated wheel 29 and at the opposite end anoutstanding integral bracket 30 having a perforation 31. In alignmentWith each said serrated Wheel 29, there is disposed on the door abracket 32 having a curved nose 33 projecting slightly beyond`the outerend of the door. Said bracket is formed on its underside` with serratedvsurface 34, the latter beingadapted to register with the serrated wheel29 when the shaft is in contact with the door. Said bracket 32 isdisposed intermediate thefront flange and the if-bar brace 22 of thedoor and secured to the door plate and to the VZ-bar brace. Adjacent theserrated surface 34 there is provided a recess 35 dened by side Walls 36and 37, and an upper wall 38, said last named wall 3S being spacedashort distance below the door plate.

Connections are connected to the door and shaft respectively for'thepurpose of raising the door by a rotation of the shaft and thereafterbringing the shaft to a supporting position beneath the door, saidconnections including a iiexible section 39, such asv a chain, and apivoted link member 40, the lformer being attached at one end to thebracket 30 of the sheave 27 by means of an adjustable eyebolt'tl, and,at its opposite end, to the pivoted link member 10, the connectionbetvvcen the sections 39 and l-O providing a pivotal connection aroundthe end link of the `flexible section as indicated-at 4t2.

Said link 40, which is adapted to lie in the recess 35, is pivoted tothe bracket 32 at 14.0 and is restrained against vsidewi'se movementv bytheV Walls 36 and 37 but permitted to have j )ivotal'movement at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the shaft about said pivot 1&0. Saidlink, on its upper surface, is formed of convex shape as indicated at 43and of concave shape on its under surface as indicated at .44, saidsurfaces A3 and la being adapted to contact respectively with upper Wall38 of bracket 32 and Winding sheave 27. p

As the {iexible connection 39 winds around 4the spiral guideway 28during the lifting'of the doors and until such time as the serratedWheel 29 on the shaft moves into contact with the serrated surfacey 34on the curved nose33 in the manner indicated in Figure 5, the conveXsurface 43 of link member t() is in contact With the upper Wall 38 ofrecess 35 and said link, in effect, provides anonserrated extensionwhich projects beyond the serrated surface 3.4 on the door and beyondthe sei-rations on the periphery of the Wheel 29 on the shaft. Y

'Theoperation' of the lifting and supporting mechanism is as follows,first assuming aclosing movement of the doorparticular reference beinghad to Figure 5 of the drawing. As the link chain section ofthe flexibleconnection is wound around the shaft While the latter is in theoutermost portions of the slots in supporting brackets, the door Will begradually elevated until the condition is reached shown in Figure 5, atwhich time the serrated nose on the door engages With the serrated Wheel29. During this lifting operation of the door and at the condition shownin Figure 5, the-link 40 will bear against the Wall 3S of the bracketcasting.

llU

NVhenthe parts have reached the condition shown in Figure 5, the shaft,as it continues its lbodily 'movement underneath the door will fulcrumfor .a short distance about the pivotal point of connection 42 withtheeffect Yof a. lever arm ofa length indicated by the line 45, this actionbeing permitted by reason of `the :fact that the outer .end of the `link40 is curved as indicated at 46 concentrica'lly with the pivotal pointof connection 42. As further movement of the shaft takes place inwardlybeneath the doei', the lfulcrum action referredto will elevate the doorstill further and the link 40 will accommodate itself relatively to theshaft byv pivoting about the pivotal center 140 until the condition isreached as shown in Figure 2, at which time the door is fully closed andthe concave surface 44 of the link'40 will be supported upon the spiralguideway lon the shaft.

As will be understood from the previous description, the link40cisrestrained against sidewise movement, that is, movement lengthwiseof the operating shaft and is confined to movement in a vertical plane,

that is, in a plane perpendicular to the axis ofthe shaft, by reasonofthe lin-k 40 being confined between the walls 36 and 37. Thisconstruction, coupled withl thevfact 'that the cannot be definitelycontrolled during any operation. `With my construction, the end link ofthe iiexible chain section can neither engage the free edge of thedoor,since it is connected to theheavy link '40 at point42,

nor canfit twist and hence the supporting point vof contact in raisingthe door and while the shaft first passes beneath the edge of the' dooris between the link 40 vand the bracket to which it is attached.Further, since the link 40 is confined tomove'ment in the planeAperpendicular to the shaft, a straight line pull on theend link ofthechain section is always assured at the critical 'time' when the serratednose piece and serrated wheel come into engagement-.and 'the wedging orleve-rage action as -the shaft passes under the door, takes place.Further, due

to the fact that the heavy vlink40` has a v lsmooth surface engagementwith the spiral drum when supported kon the latter a limited degree ofsliding movementbetween said link 40 and `the shaft 23, is therebyprovided so that vthe said two parts may relatively adjust themselves.While the description'of operation has been confined toone operatingvlink-v age, itwill vbe :understood that it applies equally well to allsets and that, byreason of the heavy links 40,-/the end links @of `allchain sections will beheld in the same relative positions with respectto the edge of the door. I y

Referring now more particularly to :the shaft locking and rotatingmechanism shown in 'Figures 7 to l0'. said mechanism is preferablylocated ontheend of the car, thc op,- erating shaft 23being extendedbeyond and through the end sill 47 where the yshaft is fitted witharatchet wheel 48. with said' ratchet wheel 48 isa pivoted lever 49mounted adjacent the ratchet wheel .and having Va'plurality of vpawls 50and 5l pivotally mounted thereon, vsaid pawls being mounted forengagementwith the ratchet wheel mainly on the underside thereof .orthat portion ofy the wheel lying belen `a horizontal plane passingthrough the axis of the shaft. Said lever is formed adjacent its lowerend with a lever receiving socket 52 ofthe usual form, whereby the shaftmay vbe rotated.

Secured to the end sill above the ratchet wheel is a bracket 58 having aplurality of fulcruin posts 54 and 55, adapted toy forni fulcrums for apivoted pawl 56 and a pawl' retaining member 57. Said last :namedmembers are retained onv their respective pivots by rivets 58andvwashers 59. The pawl 56, which is pivoted above the ratchet wheel 48 andto one side of a vertical line passing through the axis of kthe shaftisformed on 4its vouterf side withA a cam-,shape contour 60. Cooperatingwith' said loamshape portion 60 to lock the' pawl 56 in positionrelatively to the ratchetw-heel 48, 'isthe pawl retaining member 57`(ses Figure 10) said last named member being of substantially angleformation including a shank portion 61 and an inwardly extending endportion 62 yadaptedyto embrace the cam shape portion 6() when the shaftis in supporting position beneath the door.v The arrange? mentof lockingmeans extending from vfixed points on' the car structure iskparticularly advantageous for use with'bodily 'movable shaftsy asjitcompels the complete closing of the doors with the shaft brought to adefinitev position before final locking of the shaft is effected.Furtheriiore, the shaft is not only 'effectively locked againstvrotation but itis also secured againstbodily movement. Assumingthepartsv in closed position and itis desired to open the'doors, ftheoperation 1 is as follows: The p'awl retaining member 57 is rotated in aclockwise direction and, brought to an overebalanced position clear ofthe pawl 56, and the pawl 56 rotated clear of the ratchet wheel 48 andalso brought to an over-balanced position, the position of these partsthen .being as indicated in Fig- `ure 9. The operatorithen inserts Vabar in the socketv52 and positions vpawl() in engageinentjwith theratchet wheel'l and rotates Coo oeratinof ico l l ic until the door isfully opened.

the shaft in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the same outwardly inthe slots from supporting position beneath the door by reason of theinter-engagement between serrated wheels 29 on the shaft and serratedsurfaces Sei on the doors. The outwart'i movement of the shaft iscontinued until arrested in the curved depressed port-ions 26 of thebearing castings 2d when the weight of the doors and lading will rotatethe shaft 'lo close the door, the oiiierator positions locking pawl 56into engagement with the ratchet wheel d8, inserts removable bar in thesocket 52 of the lever, positions pawl l in engagement with the ratchetwheel li-8, and rotates the shaft in an anticlockwise direction asviewed. in Figure 8. lil/Then the shaft is thus rotated one step, it isevident that the locking pawl 56 will hold the shaft 2d by means ofratchet wheel i8 and retain it in whatever position it may have beenadjusted while the operator moves the bar in the opposite direction toengage the pawl 5l with the next toothof tho operating ratchet. Theseoijierations are repeated until the doors have been moved to a fullyclosed position and the shaft moved to a supporting position under thedoor when the operator will. throw the pawl locking member 5G intolocking position as shown in Figure 8.

`While l have herein. shown and described what I new consider thepreferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merelyillustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that comewithin the scope of the claims appended hereto.

l claimtv l. In a railway car door mechanism, the combination with adoor; of a lifting shaft, said shaft being movable into supportingposition beneath the door when the latter' is closed; a connection fromthe shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid linkpivotally,mounted beneath the door and extending outwardly towardsthefree edge of the saine and beyond the shaft when the latter is beneaththe door; yand serrated engaging portions formed on the shaft and thedoor -:bespectively.

2. ln a railway car door operating mechanism, the combination with a cardoor; of a winding shaft adapted to lift said door, said shaft beingmovable to a supporting position beneath the door; a connectionextending between the shaft and the door, said connection including arigid link pivotally secured to the door and a series of flexible linkssecured to the opposite end of said link and also to the winding shaft;serrated bearine's on the door and on. the shaft; and limiting .meansassociated with the link and the door for the purposeof retaining thelinkin fixed relation to the serrated bearingson the door,

'serrations of the door.

3. In a car door operating mechanism, the combination with a door; of awindingshaft, said shaft being adapted to raise the door, said shaftbeing movable to a supporting position beneath the door;` a connectionfrom the shaft to the door, said connection embodying a rigid link and ailoxible section, said rigid link being mounted beneath the door andsaid flexible section outnfardly of the door.

t. In a car door operating` mechanism,

' l' ing and supthe combination of a di ir porting shaft, said shaftbeing movable into supporting position beneath the door when the latteris in closed position; and a connection from the shaft to the door, saidconnection including a rigid link pivotally mounted upon the door and aflexible link connection extending` between the shaft and the outer endof theA said link, the connection between the rigid link and theflexible link being at a poin outwardly of the shaft when the latter isin locked position beneath the door. l

5. ln a car door operating mechanism, the combiiiation with a, dumpingdoor; of a windii'ig shaft adapted to raise the door, said shaft being.movable to a sui'iporting position beneath. the door; a bracket on thedoor, said bracket having a curved nose and serrations formed thereon; aroller on the shaft having serrations adapted to engage with theserrations on the nose of the door; and a flexible connection connectingsaid shaft and door, said flexible connection including a pivoted linkhaving one endv piv` etally mounted on the door bracket and having itsopposite end projecting beyond the the door when the latter is in closedpesi tion; of a connection from the shaft to the door, said connectionincluding a rigid link section and a flexible link section; serratedsurfaces respectivelyV formed on the door and shaft whereby a grippingengagement is provided between the shaft and door for the purpose ofdisplacing the shaft from its supporting position beneath'thedoor.

7. ln a ear door operating mechanism, the combination. with a door; ofawinding shaft, said shaft being bodily movable toda supporting positionbeneath the door when the latter is in closed position; a connectionfrom the shaft to the door, said connection including a rigid linkpivotally mounted upon the door and a flexible section pivotally con.

nected to the rigid link` said last named i' 1 i .L flexible sectionbeing adapted to havetransverse and longitudinal movement relatively tothe shaft; and means associated withthe rigid link for restricting itsmovement lto a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of thecar. f

8. In a car door operating mechanism, the

' combination with a winding shaft, said shaft being adapted to have abodily movement to a supporting position beneath the door when thelatter is in closed position; of a bracket fixedly mounted upon thedoor, said bracket having a serrated rsurface formed integrallytherewith; a serratedsurface fixedly mounted upon the shaft, saidsurface being adapted to registerwith the serrated' surface on the door;a rigid link pivotally mounted upon the door adjacent the serrated tsurface on the door, said link having a portion thereof projectingoutwardly beyond the door; and a flexible connection extending from theend ofsaid link to the shaft, said flexible connection being adapted tohave transverse and longitudinal movement relatively to the shaft. i l

9. In a car door 'operating mechanism, the combination with a dumpingdoor; of a winding shaft, said shaft having a bodily movement to asupporting position beneath the door; yconnections from the shaft to thedoor; means for imparting movement of rotation of the shaft; means forlocking the shaft against unwinding movement; and means for locking theshaft against outward bodily movement. l

l0. In a car door operating` mechanism, the'combination with a dumpingdoor; of a winding shaft, said shaft being adapted to be moved bodily toa supporting positionbeneath the door by a movement of rotation; moansfor imparting a movement of rotation to the shaft; means for locking theshaft against an unwindingv movement, said last named means comprising:a ratchet` wheel fixed to the shaft, a pawl having a stationary pivot onthe car structure and mounted above the shaft, said pawl being adaptedto` engage'with the ratchet wheel throughout the entire movementl of theshaft; and means for locking fthe pawl in a fixed relation to the carstructure and to an unwinding movement, said means includ,

ing a pawl pivotally mounted upon the car ing pawl in a fixed relationto the ratchet wheel, said last named means including an L-shapedlocking member adapted to em brace the locking pawl and maintain thestructure; and means for locking said lock- 'y lzutterl in a lixedrelation to the ratchet wheel and to the car structure.

l2. Ina dump door'operating mechanism for vehiclessuch as railway cars,the combination with a pivoted door; Yof an ope-rating shaft positionedadjacent the free edge of the door, said shaft being supported by r thevehicle structure andV adapted kfor rotation and bodily translation to adoor supporting `position beneaththe free edge of Y the door; andconnecting means between said Vshaft and door, said means includinganelement attached to the dooradjacent its free edge and movablerelatively theretov only in a plane perpendicular to the axis oftheshaft, and a flexible connector attached at one end tothe shaft adaptedto wind thereon and,,at its other end, pivotally attached to saidyelement at a pointto prevent contact lbetween the door and the end. unitof said flexibleiconnector which vis attached to said-f e'lement whilethe yshaft is moving under the door during a closing operation;

In witness that I claim the foregoingI have hereunto subscribed by namethis 27th f day .of August, 1927.v

ARGYLE CAMPBELL y

